This invention relates to methods of manufacture electronic devices with Self-Aligned Contact (SAC) structures formed in close proximity to conductors and devices manufactured thereby.
Prior art damascene structures with contacts include U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,621 to Uh et al. entitled “Methods of Forming Self-Aligned Contact Pads Using a Damascene Gate Process” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,132 to Xiang et al entitled “Self-Aligned Source and Drain Extensions Fabricated in a Damascene Contact and Gate Process”.
A problem which has arisen with the tight dimensional requirements of semiconductor device circuits is the process margin for the process of manufacture of borderless SACs in such devices.
Another problem encountered is how to provide both an improved design and an improved a method of manufacture of SACs in close proximity to damascene gate electrodes of a MOSFET device.
An additional problem is how to provide both an improved design and an improved method of manufacture of an interconnect conductor line with the provision of adequate dielectric separation between an interconnect conductor and an SAC in close proximity thereto.
Still another problem is how to minimize the coupling capacitance between an SAC and an adjacent conductor or interconnect.